I am a mother of four, but I walk for two. My two youngest children were both diagnosed with Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) before birth, specifically Coarctation of the Aorta. It's a diagnosis that, at the time, didn’t seem to have a "genetic component," so we were deeply shocked when our youngest received the same diagnosis as his sister. Our cardiologist, along with every nurse and doctor we met, shared our surprise.
Both of my children underwent open-heart surgery to repair the narrowing in their aortas, and both survived. I walk for them— for their resilience, their future, and the future of all CHD survivors. Their journey has shaped who I am today, and I walk in hope that one day, no parent will have to face this diagnosis alone.
